We celebrate the life of Kaye Atkins Essey, born September 16, 1943 to S.D. Atkins and Ophelia Fowler Atkins. Kaye went home to heaven to serve the lord of her life after a lengthy decline from dementia.
She was a hard worker from her childhood days of cooking meals for her mother and working in the garden to can vegetables to working as a young wife and mother at Raycord Shirt Manufacturing in Spartanburg. Kaye then went on to work at the First National Bank in Landrum for 12 years. She went back to school at nights to earn a bachelor's degree in Finance and Business Administration from Limestone College and became Assistant Branch Manager at Northwestern Bank in Tryon, NC. She went on to serve on the board of directors for the Spartanburg chapter of the American Institute of Banking. She was the charter president of the Thermal Belt Business and Professional Women's Club in 1978 and also served on the board of directors of the Polk County Red Cross. After working in the banking industry Kaye entered real estate and was the owner of One Tryon Place Realty and First Real Estate companies in Tryon, NC and became a real estate developer. One of her last real estate projects included developing what would become the Link's O' Tryon golf course and subdivision.
During her lifetime and especially after her retirement, Kaye enjoyed hosting parties at her swimming pool, hosting Christmas gatherings at her home, arranging bus trips for her senior citizen class at her church, going to fitness classes with her friends, and taking trips to her beloved beach house for 40 years. Kaye was an active member of Motlow Creek Baptist church during her entire life. She served her Lord endlessly and she loved her Lord and made sure everyone knew that!
Kaye was predeceased by her brother, Burt Atkins and her sister, Linda A. Henderson. She is survived by her husband Alan, her daughters Rhonda Anderson (Winston) and Sondra Scoggins (Tim) of Campobello, stepdaughter Gina Essey of Southport, NC, stepson Alan Jr. of Campobello, three grandsons, Nathan (Macy) Scoggins of Greenville, Hayden Scoggins and John Anderson of Campobello and one granddaughter, Annie Essey of Southport, NC. She is also survived by one brother, Reverend Martin (Marilyn) Atkins of Mauldin, one sister in law, Carolyn Atkins of Campobello and several nieces and nephews.
Graveside services will be held at Motlow Creek Baptist church cemetery at 10 o'clock a.m. on Tuesday, 6-28-22. Services will be by Reverends Martin and Brad Atkins.
Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Society or Spartanburg Regional Hospice.
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